Woman survives impaled car

Troopers say a woman is lucky to be alive after dozens of long poles impaled her car during a crash.

July 24, 2012 12:02:51 PM PDT

Bellingham, Wash. --

A woman is recovering from a bizarre car accident that left even first responders wondering how she survived.

Erin Bruns, 36, was out running errands in Bellingham, Washington when she pulled up behind a vehicle towing 27-foot long poles. She didn't see it stop and plowed right into it. The enormous poles went in through her front windshield and out through the back.

The impact crushed her skull inward. But, amazingly, didn't puncture her brain, "The first memory I have is I feel like I woke up and I was chewing glass," Bruns said.

Doctors patched up Brun's skull with part of her hip bone. They also removed some 200 splinters from her head.